London Design Festival 2012: 100% Design Emerging Brands

A small section of 100% Design was dedicated to Emerging Brands. Here are my top five…

Craig Foster’s Kurk Lamp was inspired by taking lamps apart and realizing how many unnecessary components and materials are used – the average was 30. He said: “The aim of Kurk was to use the minimum number of parts, without compromising on the personality and character of the product.”

Launched at Clerkenwell Design Week in May, these handy shelves are designed by Arthur Analts as a place to empty your pockets when you come in the front door, making sure you don’t lose things like keys and change before you come to leave again.

I’ve been a fan of Lorna Syson’s work since I met her at the very first 100% Design I ever attended, so she’s become a bit of regular favorite.

At this show, she was launching a cushion made with 75% wool and 25% stinging nettles – you can just about see the green flecks in the image above – making it completely biodegradable.

The Potluck Series by Lola Lely included these rather gorgeous portable stools in beech, walnut, ash, tulip and steel.

And last but not least, David Irwin was presenting his personality-filled M Lamps, inspired by the miner’s lamps and heritage of the North East of England; and his EXTL Lights for Deadgood. I just sung the praises of these products in a previous post.

Katie Treggiden is Editor at Large for Design Milk, where she hops around Europe discovering new and creative designs from all over the world. She is also Editor of print magazine Fiera and design blog confessions of a design geek.